


Bridal Style

by glittertrashcan



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe, Based on a Tumblr Post, Idiots in Love, M/M, Mutual Pining, Oblivious Bucky Barnes, Oblivious Steve Rogers, Pining, because i'm the writer and i said so, but i love them anyway, no civil war, not really an au but kinda, so does the team, they're stupid and gay
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-28
Updated: 2018-07-28
Packaged: 2019-06-17 15:43:08
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,857
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15464712
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/glittertrashcan/pseuds/glittertrashcan
Summary: based off a tumblr post:novacorps: if you find yourself in times of trouble just remember that cap has a tactic where he basically throws himself in some guy's arms while fightingetharei: I WANT TO SEE HIM DO THIS WITH THE WINTER SOLDIER. Except the Winter Soldier is actually able to take Steve's weight (especially if Steve does it like in the gif it'll be the metal arm getting most of it) - and th etwo of them just freeze- Steve slowly realizing he's being carried bridal style - the Winter Soldier blinking like MY PROGRAMMING DID NOT COVER THIS?? and there's a bunch of camera sound effects as Natasha flips past them with her phone outso i changed the winter soldier in just bucky and added mutual pining but yeah that's the plot





	Bridal Style

**Author's Note:**

> yo! Posting my headcanons at the end bc spoilers! sorry if there are mistakes in the expression, i'm not an english native
> 
> I also added a game of sorts with the does bucky love me question, feel free to try and guess who says what!
> 
> Also? It seems like it's mostly dickens who took care of that in the english language but in french sooooo many authors write realistic dialogues with accents, imperfections and all (plus I talk like shit so) I couldn't bring myself to make those brooklyn boys children of the oxford accent. 
> 
> Don't hesitate to send me prompts, marvel or not! I only refuse incest and underage, or other morally wrong ships (like mental manipulation or rumlow and co). I don't remember anything else for now, but if you recognised any reference or headcanon, feel free to comment, critical appreciation is always highly appreciated!

The Winter Soldier had become Bucky again. It was all thanks to Steve, really. He had looked for him for months on end without results yet never once giving up. It took him four months and Natasha and Sam's help to find out the Winter Soldier had been compromised and was no more in the hands of Hydra. There had ended the trio's search in the confines of Siberia. Steve knew that, ultimately, there was only one place for Bucky to go back to: their home, Brooklyn.

And that was exactly where they had found him. Entirely unrecognisable without his beard and in civilian clothes, Bucky had had his hair in a bun and his hands in his pockets while he roamed the streets of Brooklyn, looking for something, anything that might bring his memory back. And it seemed that, once again, Steve was really the only one that could do it. They found him in a parking lot, eating plums in his car. He slowly got out upon seeing them. He stared blankly at them for what seemed like an eternity to Steve and he started panicking -oh no did he not remember me was he really compromised I can't believe I got trapped that easily I -

“Steve you absolute punk! Did your ma really not manage to pound even one ounce of sense into your goddamned brain? Launching yourself out of planes without 'chutes was one thing, but launching a plane in a frozen sea? Cut that shit out now, Mr-I-have-a-hero-compl-”

The rest was muffled against Steve's chest as he finally embraced his Bucky, after years of thinking he was dead, then knowing he was not, but also knowing that he didn't remember him, then again knowing he did...

“I thought you were dead when I woke up. I just- I knew you were long before but then I somehow had hope but now I just couldn't because even if you had survived, so many years had passed and I just... It felt like I had lost you twice in a week, Buck.”

“Oh, Steve. I’m so sorry. I know you did it to save the world but I couldn’t help but think that somehow it was my-”

“Don’t you dare say ‘fault’, jerk. I just figured that, in addition to saving the world, a world without you wasn’t really worth it.”

And that was the most Steve dared reveal. He head known his love for Bucky was not very brotherly even back then. He still loved him now, And he knew it wouldn't warrant him a blue ticket or a bat up nowadays -not that they would dare to do either, he was Captain fucking America after all- but he wasn't going to do that to Bucky. Their friendship was all they had both left from their previous lives, he wasn't about to risk that. Also, there was no reason to believe Bucky had loved him then or would love him now -he liked dames too much for that. So he would keep his love hidden, just as he had done so many times back when he was all scrawny and 90 pounds soaking wet.

On the other side of the hug, the brunet was having similar thoughts. He had not remembered that he loved Steve that way at first. It had taken a trip to the Captain America expo to realise it. It took him all of three seconds to look at the video of them laughing, feel a pang in his chest at the sight of Steve, his Stevie, laughing, and understand that the look in his own eyes had meant that he was in love then. And still was now. As he dug out both his memories -almost all of them including Steve- and public knowledge about both Captain America and Steve Rogers, he did not wonder for one second how he came to love the punk. Unfortunately, one of the things he was painfully aware of as well was that Steve Rogers had been very much in love with Peggy Carter. He remembered Peggy too. She was great, one of the best dames he ever met, really. It was only natural that she was the one to finally see Steve beyond his scrawny ass and really look at the brave, selfless man he was. But every time he thought that, his mind screamed 'but what about you? You saw him before she did, before anyone else did!'. And he knew it was the truth, but he also knew that he had loved Steve all these years and watched him wait for and find his perfect partner. And if he had a chance at getting his best friend, the man he loved and the last shadow of his past back, he was not going to risk it all by being selfish.

Though their internal soliloquies might have seemed to last quite a while, they had only been hugging for less than a minute. Far too short a hug, according to the two men with moony eyes; but far too long according to the friends Steve had brought along. Natasha and Sam were looking uncomfortably between the couple and each other, exchanging looks as meaningful as if they were having a whole conversation. The two idiots in front of them, still holding each other within an inch of their lives, looked ecstatic and sorrowful. It was not hard for them to know that Steve loved Bucky, after all these months spent looking for him and thinking only about him. But the longing in his eyes also showed that he was blind to the similar look his best friend was sporting. Only Steve Rogers could detect Fury’s or Tony’s bullshit ten minutes after meeting them and yet be unable to notice his best friend he had known for all his life -whether it be 25 or 95 years- was utterly smitten with him.

_________________________

 

And it had only gotten worse -oh so much worse. Those two idiots couldn't seem to get their act together. Weeks went by, and so did thousands of longing looks when they thought no one was looking, hundreds of lingering touches and dozens of half-assed confessions. Half-assed confessions, such as 'Till the end of the line' or 'A world without you isn't worth fighting for', and all those sappy one-liners they couldn't stop saying every time they opened their mouths. The whole team was getting tired of their moping and had tried to make them realise countless times. First, Tony had Jarvis lock them in a closet for several hours. They talked then slept through it, cuddled together and blaming it on the lack of space. Clint dropped hot coffee on them both one morning, forcing them to immediately take their shirts off -but both seemed to be completely unaware of the heat in their eyes. Steve looked as if he were going to devour Bucky on the spot, and the latter wasn't doing much better. Sam tried to get the three of them to hang out together then found excuses to leave, but nothing happened. The two friends continued with their oblivious pining and forced camaraderie.

It was Natasha who suggested sparring together. Forced proximity, sweat and very impressive skills demonstration: with the boner they already had for each other, it was needless to say it would arise some arousal. Yet, weeks went by with daily sessions and not one makeout session. It went on until a comment from Bucky about Steve's weirdest moves back in the day. He told the others how the punk would do weird shit, like storm in a Hydra facility singing the American Anthem so that soldiers would go towards him and get ambushed by the rest of the Howling Commandos. Sam almost fell on his ass laughing, and Tony, Natasha and he took turns recounting what Steve had done in this century so far. It quickly escalated into a challenge of who could pull the weirdest move on the other. Steve couldn't really do the Anthem thing, so he settled for one of the tricks he had used in close combat: he launched himself into Bucky's arms.

The surprise, added to his super post-serum weight, usually meant his opponent fell to the ground. What he really, really hadn't counted on was Bucky being able to support his weight. Being enhanced himself, he had reacted quickly when Steve had launched himself at his left arm, which could by the was lift a small car.

So Bucky was now carrying him bridal style. He had one arm under his knees, and the other one under his back. He had only needed to flex his knees a little to stomach the impact. Both men were looking at each other, utterly stunned by the way the situation had evolved. Flabbergasted. Bamboozled. Discombobulated. Sam also had a baffled look on his face.

You could hear the clatter of a phone going off as Natasha sauntered around the soldiers, taking picture after picture. Not that the two aforementioned idiots would realise it, gone in the eyes of the other as they were, still shocked by the outcome of the attack and by ow close to each other they were. That close, Bucky could see Steve’s ridiculously long eyelashes, or the intricate blue of his eyes, the perfect arch of his eyebrows, the deep pink of his supple lips...Steve was watching intently as Bucky’s grey eyes darkened, the way his stubble complimented the intimidating clench of his jaw that could cut diamonds, a nose you thought was only found on Adonis statues, his very very kissable lips…

“Oh god, cut the shit and kiss already, guys, we can’t breathe in here!” Sam grunted. 

This seemed to finally snap the two men into action. Bucky helped Steve climb out of his arms and they stepped backwards, blushing and looking everywhere but at each other.

________________________________

A few hours later, Steve and Sam were sitting on the couch and watching reruns of Brooklyn Nine-Nine -which, really, Steve wasn't outraged by Rosa at all, he wasn't a picture-perfect angel, for the thousandth time- when Steve finally broke down and asked Sam.

“What did you mean by 'kiss already' this morning?”

“Oh Steve, c'mon, bud, you gotta know what I meant by that. Tash and I already know you were gone for Bucky long before we were even born.”

“I... Really? Fuck. And, I mean, it doesn't bother you or anything, right? Like, I'm not saying you're a homophobe, but Bucky's... Bucky but maybe less so to you than to me.”

“My god, Steve, never! Bucky is a victim, and while he has to deal with the stuff he did, none of it was his fault! I knew men who did far worse while fully consenting, believe me. You deserve each other. And I said what I said because it is damned time you two did something else than pine after each other.”

At that, Steve's eyes lit up so much they could have powered a small town.

“D'ya really think Bucky could like me? I know that he isn't the same as before, but he liked women just fine, and I know that attraction isn't something that you can change. I was the odd one out, ya know. Me, not him. The scrawny, headstrong queer artist. Always wondered what a beautiful, strong guy like him was doin' hangin' out with the likes of me.”

“Steve. I know for a fact that he looks at you the same way you look at him: like you don't know if you wanna jump his bones in the second or wax poetry about his eyes for hours. Or marry him on the spot. I don't know, really. It's just so ridiculous, how goddamned lovesick the both of you look. If anyone's ever gonna get a chance with a guy, it's you, Steve. You're the only one who can really see Bucky. Not James Barnes, not the Winter Soldier, not even White Wolf. Just Bucky. You've had each other's backs your whole life. No 'dame' will ever change that.”

Steve looked a bit teary-eyed. It was all he had only ever dared dream about. All he ever needed to hear to be the happiest man on earth. And if Sam, who certainly wasn't Bucky's greatest fan, could see it, then it had to be somehow true. It was worth the shot. It hadn't been when he thought he had no chance, but now? He just needed to make sure Sam wasn't hallucinating.

“Thanks, man. It was great, really- I needed to hear that.”

And just because he could, he hugged Sam real tight, just so he truly knew how grateful the blonde was.

___________

 

“Does Bucky love me?”

“Does the earth revolve around the sun? Wait, don't answer, Capcicle. Had they gotten it right back in your day?”

___________

 

“Does Bucky love me?”

“What?”

“Does Bucky love me?”

“Why are you asking me that?”

“Does Bucky love me?”

“Yes, he does. Now pass the damn coffee, Steve.”

___________

“Does Bucky love me?”

“Ah! I believe James to be quite fond of you indeed, friend Steve!”

___________

“Does Bucky love me?”

“Banner say yes.”

___________

“Does Bucky love me?”

“That I, very unsurprisingly, saw coming. Yeah.”

___________ 

“Does Bucky love me?”

“Steve. I don't even need to read his mind to know he does.”

___________

“Does Bucky love me?”

“I believe he does, sir.”

___________

“Does Bucky love me?”

“Steve, I will tase you if you don't stop asking everyone that.”

___________

“Yes, Steve, he loves you.”

Steve jumped, thinking he was alone. She really should stop sneaking up on him.

___________

Now that Steve had been assured that Bucky's probable love for him was not an illusion, he couldn't slow his heart rate down. He had been dreaming about Bucky loving him back since he was thirteen -half of his life- and yet he had never expected it to be real. First, because their society hadn't been exactly overjoyed by queer people, even worse in times of war when so many men weren't there to have children. Now, because with Bucky's incomplete memories and their blossoming friendship, he just didn't see a reason for him to love Steve. Because he had been thinking so much, he had been avoiding Bucky. He hadn't even noticed it until he was sat on his couch, three days after the bridal lift incident.

Steve heard a knock on his door. He got up to open it and found Bucky on the other side. His heart raced immediately, but calmed down drastically when he saw how the brunet looked. He had dark shadows under his eyes, hadn't shaved in a few days and his hair was in a bun. He was in a tank top and sweatpants. He did not look particularly dirty, but it was a far cry from how sever he still usually was with his own appearance. Even with how worried and restless he seemed, Steve had never seen anyone so beautiful.

“Hey Buck, everything alright?”

“Can we talk Steve? Please?”

OKay, that sounded really, really bad for Steve. Maybe he’d heard about Steve’s little question crusade these last days and was here to set the record straight, literally.

“Uh, yeah, sure. Is there something wrong?”

Steve led them both back to the couch. He turned to look at Bucky but the brunet only stared at his hands. 

“Look, Steve, I just… Pal, I don’t know what I did but if I did anything wrong you just gotta tell me and I’ll make it right again but… Please Stevie don’t ignore me.”

And, Steve thought, it was true that he hadn’t seen Bucky since the incident. But he had been so busy seeking his friends, thinking, mulling over their words and worrying that he hadn’t noticed it.

“God, Buck, I’m so sorry, I swear I wasn’t avoiding you, I hadn’t even realised, you’ve done nothing wrong pal I’m so sorry-”

Bucky had a relieved look on his face, before worry took over.

“Is there anything wrong with you, then, Stevie?You know you can tell me anything, punk.”

Steve breathed in. Deeply. Once. Twice.If there ever was a right moment to tell Bucky, it was snow. Not because it was the most romantic thing they'd ever lived together -oh boy, far from it- but because waiting any longer, especially if Bucky didn't actually love him back -which was still a possibility thankyouverymuch- was an awful idea. So Steve did what he always does -he jumped.

“I love you, Buck. I have loved you for a very long time.”

__________

Bucky is watching Steve with wide eyes and his mouth hanging open. He can't believe Steve really said those words he'd been waiting, dreaming to hear for so long.

“Are you... You're not shitting me, huh Stevie?”

“No! Buck, I'd never joke about something like that, you know me!”

Bucky smiles. The biggest grin since he'd been back from Hydra.

“Good. Because I love you too, Stevie.”

Steve looks equally surprised and relieved when he hears those words.

“Punk, don't look so surprised. You really didn't have a clue? Peggy knew, and so did the boys, and so does Nat now. I thought you just weren't interested, then as much as now, and you didn't want to outright reject me.”

“Fuck no! I've been in love with you since we were teens! If I had known for how long we could have been together??? Shit, we really missed out on our best years.”

“But Stevie, what about Peggy?”

“Pegs? I was her... ah, I think they say beard now? It's what Darcy said. Anyway, she was only pretending to date me. She had a gal, a waitress called Angie, back in New York. They were real cute together. Peg wanted to go on a coupla' double dates, but I had you right there. And somehow, going on a date with another guy felt so much more like betraying you than our double dates. =”

“Yeaaah... 'Bout these?”

“Hm?”

“A few of them mighta' been the two of us going on dates together? Once, Becca asked me if I could take this gal she knows and her friend on a date, and I said yes. Turns out, she's actually dating that friend. So I just played along. They got real scared when I understood but I couldn't really throw them the first stone, could I? So they knew other girls who then asked me the same favour, and I became kinda known I guess? So a few times, we actually went out with a couple. I'm sorry I never told ya, I know you wouldn'ta' reacted badly, but it made me feel like I could finally date you.”

Steve launched himself at Bucky and trapped him in a huge bear hug. They stayed like that several minutes before Steve spoke.

“'S it true, Buck? That was real brave of you. You're such a good person, love.”

The new nickname made Bucky whine with contentment. He had loved pal, jerk and Buck, but as loving as they sounded, a nickname that was acknowledged as one used by lovers made him weak in the knees. Thankfully, he was already sitting.

“I remember our last night before I left. When we went to the Stark Expo. Who knew that we'd become friends with the guy! And his son. And that flying cars would be a reality and we'd go on flying boats. Anyway. The girls were a couple. The brunette and I had organised it as a surprise for her gal, who worked as a scientist's secretary but wanted to be a scientist one day. The girl was pissed because she thought she had to play straight all night so she left you earlier than predicted, but I still meant to spend the whole night with you, punk.”

Steve has tears in his eyes by then. It was all he'd ever wanted to hear and so much more. He can't keep himself from blurting out:

“You have the most beautiful soul in the world.”

Bucky seems genuinely taken aback by the compliment. Steve has to admit that it might seem weird. But it doesn't actually seem to weird him out too much, as tears well up in the brunet's eyes and he takes the blonde's hand in his, softly.

“I mean, it ain't like I haven't noticed how beautiful you are, Buck. You're breathtaking. Really, I lucked out here. But what amazes me every day when I see you is how good you fundamentally are. After what you've gone through, you still put up with Clint and Sam's antics and talk with them, you participate when we have one of our PTSD sessions with the whole team even though I know you still don't like talkin' about it. What you did before, what with the girls and always saving me when I didn't know when to back down. I really can't believe I get to call you mine. I- I mean, huh, I can, right Buck? I mean, I thought that's what was goin' on here but if I got it wrong-”

Steve never finished his sentence, because Bucky launched himself forward, cupped Steve's cheeks in his hands and kissed him passionately. It went on for many, many minutes, filled with tongues, lips and teeth. They ultimately had to stop, and both men looked dazed, starry-eyed and red-lipped.

“You're such a punk, Stevie. Of course it means I'm yours. And you're mine. Been wanting to make ya mine since I saved your scrawny ass the first time. Used to tell my ma and Becca I'd marry you, cause you were pretty like a girl. And, well, you ain't dainty and pretty like a girl no more, but you sure as hell are rugged and handsome now. Thought I was dreaming the first time I saw you all muscle and pure american beef. Used to dream about us sleeping in the same bed, but I'd always be the little spoon, so it seemed weird cause I was taller than you. So guess how thrilled I was when you came rescue me all big and-”

Bucky realised then that he had been rambling and rather embarrassing himself, but Steve just smiled and kissed him again.

“How 'bout we do some of that cuddling in the same bed right now, love? And some o' that kissin' too. And more, then show you really how much muscle there is and get to worship my best guy a bit. And then, I thought we could do it some more, all of it? Preferably for a long, long time? Perhaps till the end of the line, hm?”

As he said those words, Steve kept kissing Bucky's face and throat. Both men shivered and tugged the other closer.

“Ya know what, punk? How about we replay the other day's 'fighting technique' and do some wrestling of our own?”

And once again, Bucky had Steve in his arms bridal style. But this time? This time, he didn't let go.

 

 

THE END

**Author's Note:**

> yo! Posting my headcanons here bc spoilers! 
> 
> So first, bucky being the lesbian ally is something I saw on tumblr and loved immediately, just like the prompt. Also, there is no way in hell the whole team isn't eaten alive by ptsd so it's fucking canon, fight me. I think that every non-au marvel au will include ptsd. I do experience some of my own, but not related to war at all, so i'll educate myself and keep it light to avoid offense and mistake! Don't hesitate to educate me on the subject as always! Also peggy is a bisexual icon and I made her date angie bc they were so cute in agent carter. 
> 
> I also added a game of sorts with the does bucky love me question, feel free to try and guess who says what! 
> 
> Also? It seems like it's mostly dickens who took care of that in the english language but in french sooooo many authors write realistic dialogues with accents, imperfections and all (plus I talk like shit so) I couldn't bring myself to make those brooklyn boys children of the oxford accent. 
> 
> Don't hesitate to send me prompts, marvel or not! I only refuse incest and underage, or other morally wrong ships (like mental manipulation or rumlow and co). I don't remember anything else for now, but if you recognised any reference or headcanon, feel free to comment, critical appreciation is always highly appreciated!


End file.
